Written answers

Tuesday, 7 July 2009

Department of Education and Science

Research Funding

12:00 pm

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing professional researchers both in terms of securing permanent employment and choosing a career path; his views on whether meeting these challenges is particularly important in order to enhance Ireland's position as an attractive research location for Irish and international researchers and that meeting these challenges is an urgent matter in view of the rapid increase in PhD graduates here; the steps he has taken to implement the Forfás report Towards a Framework for Researcher Careers since its publication in October 2008; the number of times the Researcher Careers Working Group has met since the publication of the report; the progress it has made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27300/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation (SSTI) is an integrated whole of Government approach that Ireland will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research and at the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social progress, within an innovation driven culture.

The Higher Education Research Group (HERG) was established under the SSTI to co-ordinate higher education research policy at a national level. The HERG is chaired by my Department. One of the working groups established by the HERG is on researcher careers, to focus specifically on the development of a career path for researchers in the higher education sector. The Group includes representatives from higher education institutions, research funding agencies and government departments.

The Advisory Science Council October 2008 report on researcher careers recommends a framework for developing professional careers in the Higher Education Institutions which seeks to ensure that researchers have an appropriate academic career structure; and are taught the skills needed to work in enterprise. The recommendations of the ASC report have been a key input to the considerations of the HERG working group.

There have been three meetings of the Researcher Careers Working Group since the beginning of October 2008. In addition there have also been bi-lateral meetings between my Department and a number of key stakeholders. The Group has recently concluded its work and a briefing on the report has been given to the HERG. It is proposed to formally submit the Researchers Careers Working Group report to the next scheduled meeting of the HERG in September.

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